Hot-water and steam generator



Dec. 30, 1930. KQLSTAD 1,786,660

HOT WATER AND STEAM GENERATOR Filed May 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 30, 1930. A. M. KOLSTAD 1,786,660

HOT WATER AND STEAM GENERATOR Filed May 9, 1929 2 Sheets5heet 2 cit Patented Dec. 3%, l ll AUGUST M. KQLS'IAD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN HOT-WATER AND STEAM GENERATOR Application filed may 9, 1929. Serial No. 361,704.

This invention relates to hot water and steam generators and particularly to a heater of this character adapted to be disposed within a furnace in connection with a boiler, the device being disposed over the grate so as to receive the'heat from the fuel burning upon the grate.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide a heater or the character described, which is so constructed as to eliminate condensation on the heating surfaces, this condensation being due to the heatcoming in contact with a metal element, which in turn is in contact with relatively cool water. H

A further object in this connection is to so construct the water heater or generator that condensationon the entire outside heating surface is entirely eliminated and particularly to provide a construction of this character having an inner heating chamber into which the cold water is initially conducted, the cold water being warmed in this inner chamber by means of an outer zone of hot water contained within an outer heating chamber which entirely encloses the inner heating chamber.

A. further object is to provide thermostatic means for controlling the discharge water from this heating device by the use oil? an automatic control operating thermostatically, the thermostat operating to increase or decrease the efiective area of the discharge openings of the inner chamber in accordance with the temperature of the water and particularly in accordance with the temperature of the Water in the central or inner chamber. 1

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description. 7

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figu're 1 is a top plan view of a water heater constructed in accordance with my invention; I

Figure 2 is a'horizontal sectional view thereof onthe line 2-2 of Figure 3, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a section. on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on the line l4c of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detailed section of one of the rotary controlling valves and one of the thermostats, the latter being in elevation.

Referring to these drawings, designates an outer shell or casing of metal, which outer shell is preferably circular in plan View as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and approximately oval in vertical cross section as shown in Figure 3.

Disposed within inner shell 11 whicl s also circular in form as shown in Figure and flattened so as to conform to the flattened shape of the outer shell and leaving a space between the inner shell and the outer shell.

The inner shell 11 is preferably formed integral with the outer shell 10, though I do not wish to be limited to this and the heater is provided at one point with an inlet nipple 12 which is shown as formed integral with the shells l0 and 11 and which opens into the interiorheating space 13 enclosed within the shell 11. A removable check valve seat 1 1 is di posed wi in the inlet opening 12 and this carries the check valve 15 permitting the inlet of cold water through the nipple 12, but preventing any back flow. The space between the inner shell and the outer shell is designated 16. The lower wall of the innor shell 11 which constitutes the inner wall of the chamber 16 is upwardly extended to form a central 1'? which extends up through the heating space 13 and at'its upper end has screw-threaded engagementwith' a tubular cap 18 whose outer margin has screwthreaded engagement with the central aperture 19 formed in the top of the outer wall 10 as shown in Figure 3.

The Water entering the inlet nipple 12 is caused to fiow circuinl'erentially around the chamber 13 by means of the laterally curved battle 2() shown in Figure 2. That portion of the shell 11 which forms the upper wall of the chamber 13 is centrally apertured as at 21. The inner and outer walls 11 and 10 adjacent the openings 21 and '19'are connected by a web 22 having apertures 23 (see Figure 4) the outer shell 10 is an Disposed within this web and fitting against the same and rotatably supported upon an annular seat 25 is a valve ring 26 also formed with apertures 27. \Vhen the apertures 27 register with the apertures 23, complete circulation of water from. the chamber 13 into the chamber 16 is secured, but the rin 26 is shifted tocut down the effective area of the apertures 27 as shown in Figure 4, the amount of water flowing from the chamber 13 into the chamber 16 is reduced until if the valve 26 be shifted so as to bring the openings 27 entirely out of register with the openings 28, the water will be entirely out off.

For the purpose of automatically shifting the rotatable valve 26, I provide one or more temperature controlled elements designated generally 28 which are mounted within the chamber 13 and are subjected, therefore, to the action of the relatively cool water within this chamber and which bear against pins 29 extending inward from the valve 26. Thus, as the water within the chamber 13 heats up, the thermostatic elements 26 will be expanded and will act to shift the valve 26 in a direction to increase the effective discharge opening. As the water in the chamber 1? cools down, the annular valve 26 will be shifted in a reverse direction to reduce the effective discharge opening. Thus, as the water Within the chamber 13 grows hotter, a greater amount of water is (:lischarged into the outer chamber 16 and as the water within the chamber 13 grows cooler, a less amount of Water will be discharged into the space 16 from the space 13.

In the event that the thermostatic elements 28- do not work, I provide a blow-off plug 30 of soft metal having screw-tln'eaded engagement with the wall 11 at the top thereof so that if the temperature withinthe chamber 13 gets too high, the plug will blow off and permit the direct passage of the water from the chamber 13 into the chamber 16 and a removable inspection plug 31 is disposed in the outer wall 10 immediately above the plug 30.

While I have illustrated only one annular valve 26, I do not wish to belimited to this as this manner of controlling the flow of water from the chamber 13 to the chamber 16 may be secured by the use of either one, two or more sleeves or annular valves 26 and these annular valves may be provided with one or more openings.

I do not wish to be limited to the number of thermostatic elements which may be used, as the number of these may be varied in many ways. Preferably, I use the thermostat illustrated in the form of a coiled strip mounted upon a pin 28a, but I do not wish to be limited to this particular character of thermostat, it being sufficient that a thermostat be provided which will be affected by the temperature of the water within the chamber 13 and will affect the annular valve or valves 26 to control the amount of Water passing into the chamber 16.

In the use of this construction, the heater disposed within a furnace immediately above the burning fuel in the fire pot of the furnace, The supply of unheated water enters the generator or heater through the nipple 12 and after passing through the check valve 15, the water is delivered into the chamber 16, the water being caused to take a rotary movement by means of the baffle 20.

After being partially heated in the inner chamber, the water is delivered through the openings in the valve 26, the flow through said openings depending for its volume upon the automatic control secured by the opera tion of the thermostats 28 which automatically increase the effective size of the openings as the water in the inner chamber is raised to a higher degree of temperature. After the water has passed from said inner chamber, the supply flows into the top of the outer chamber 16 and is then directed downward around the inner chamber and toward the bottom of the generator where the heating flame is particularly applied. Inasmuch as heat is applied to this heater particularly at the bottom thereof, the supply flow will not come in contact with the heating surface constituting the bottom wall of the chamber 16 until the water has been pie-heated by its flow through the inner chamber and through the upper and lateral portions of the chamber 16. This eliminates the condensation caused by unheated water coming in contact with surfaces heated by fire. After passing over the heating surface formed by the lower wall 10, the water reaches a high degree of temperature and is then delivered. to the discharge pipe (not shown) through the discharge passage 17 and through the central opening in the member 18.

While I have illust 'ated certain details of construction and arrangement of parts which I have found to be particularly effective, I do not wish to be limited thereto as obviously many minor changes might be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

l' hile I have heretofore referred to this hot water and steam generator as being used in connection with a furnace having a grate and fire pot, it is to be understood that it can be used with any form of fuel, Whether oil, gas, coal or in' a furnace, a boiler or in any other situation to which it is applicable.

I claim 1. A water heater comprising an outer chamber and an inner chamber, the inner chamber having an inlet opening and the outer chamber having an outlet opening, there being a connection between the inner chamber and the outer chamber, and thermoill) statically controlled means for controlling the passage of Water from the inner chamber to the outer chamber.

2. A water heater of the character described, comprising an outer wall and defining an inner chamber having a central opening in its top, an inner wall having a central opening in its top and having a centrally disposed passage extending upward through the chamber, the inner chamber having a valved inlet opening, an annular member engaging in the central opening in the outer wall and constituting an extension of the passage through the inner chamber, and thermostatic means controlling the passage of water from the inner chamber to the outer chamber and acting to permit an increase flow from the inner chamber to the outer as the water within the inner chamber has its temperature raised and decrease said flow when the temperature is lowered.

3. A water heater of the character described, comprising an inner chamber and an outer chamber, the inner chamber having an inlet at one end adapted to be connected to a source of supply, the inner chamber opening into the outer chamber, a rotatably shiftable valve controlling the passage of water from the inner chamber to the outer chamber, and thermostatic elements disposed within the inner chamber and actuating the valve to cause the valve to permit an increase in the flow of water within the inner chamber when the water within the inner chamber has its temperature raised and vice versa.

4. A water heater of the character described, comprising an inner chamber and an outer chamber spaced from each other, the inner chamber having an inlet at one end adapted to be connected to a source of supply, the inner chamber opening into the outer chamber, a rotatably shiftable valve controlling the passage of water from the inner chamber to the outer chamber, and thermostatic elements disposed within the iimer chamber and actuating the valve to cause the valve to permit an increase in the flow of Water Within the inner chamber when the water within the inner chamber has its temperature raised an'd'vice versa, the top Wall of the inner chamber being provided with a safety blow-off plug and the top wall of the outer chamber having a removable inspection plug above the blow-01f plug.

5. A water heater of the character described, comprising an integral inner chamber and an integral outer chamber spaced from each other, and having an integral inlet nipple opening into the inner chamber, a check valve permitting the inlet of water to the inlet chamber and preventing its outlet through said nipple, the inner chamber having an annular centrally disposed discharge opening and there being a discharge passageway from the lower portion of the outer chamber up through the center of the inner chamber and out through the top wall of the outer chamber, a rotatable valve controlling the passage of water from the inner chamber to the outer chamber, and thermostatic means disposed within the inner chamber controlling said valve.

6. A hot water heater of the character described comprising an outer chamber circular in plan and an integral inner chamber annular in plan View, the inner chamber being defined by a bottom wall and a top wall, the chambers having an integral inlet nipple opening into the inner chamber andprovided with a check valve, the upper wall of the inner chamber having a central opening, the lower wall of the inner chamber being extended upward through the center of the inner chamber and through the center of said opening, a member having a central opening and engaging the upper wall of the outer chamber and the inwardly extending wall of the inner chamber, said member forming a continuation of the central passage so formed, the

outer and inner walls having a septum surrounding the central opening of the inner wall and having apertures and an annular valve having ports therein coacting with the septum and fitting thereagainst, and thermostatic means disposed Within the inner chamber and operatively engaging said valve to cause the valve to operatively shift in one direction or the other as the temperature of the liquid Within the inner chamber increases or decreases.

7. A water heater comprising an outer chamber and an inner chamber, the inner chamber having a cold water inlet and an outlet into the outer chamber and the outer chamber having an outlet, and means causing the water passing from the inner chamber to the outer chamber to circulate around the inner chamber before it can pass out through the outer chamber.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

AUGUST M. KOLSTAD. 

